[Lord-Humongous]

I had left it like this for the first few days... works fine but...

Then I took that big string guide off and have it like this now... it's so much slinkier for bends, but I am occasionally yanking the high E out of the nut slot.

I like it better without the big string guide. I was thinking of begging for, or buying, a white Tusq string tree which would look pretty clean here, and presumably it'd still be slinky for bends. What do you guys think?

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[bolero]

I like the G&L string trees better than Fenders

they're raised up, and I think they might also be nylon. they don't seem to bind as much as my strat tree

 

[bigboki]

Definitely without big string tree.
Try this first - when you change your high E string, try to put much more windings on the tuning post. You have only couple. try to put much more let say 7-10. That will lower the string on the post at least 1mm increasing the angle against the nut, hopefully enough that you can't take it out of the slot that easily

It is a pain when stringing but hopefully it might help without the tree?

 

[Smylight]

I had left it like this for the first few days... works fine but...

Then I took that big string guide off and have it like this now... it's so much slinkier for bends, but I am occasionally yanking the high E out of the nut slot.

I like it better without the big string guide. I was thinking of begging for, or buying, a white Tusq string tree which would look pretty clean here, and presumably it'd still be slinky for bends. What do you guys think?

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Install regular Strat string trees and keep'em ever so slightly lubed with a tiny smidgen of Vaseline or graphite. You can't really go without them, unless your are using staggered tuners such as on the Jeff Beck Strat. Your tone suffers, and the strings keep poppin' out.

 

[Smylight]

Definitely without big string tree.
Try this first - when you change your high E string, try to put much more windings on the tuning post. You have only couple. try to put much more let say 7-10. That will lower the string on the post at least 1mm increasing the angle against the nut, hopefully enough that you can't take it out of the slot that easily

It is a pain when stringing but hopefully it might help without the tree?

By the way, this looks an awful lot like a locking nut device. Please post pics of the bridge, as I believe it might be of the locking, Floyd Rose type. Then you wouldn't help yourself by removing the required locking nut. You'd be better off reverting to original and parting with the guitar if you don't like the arrangement.

 

[Lord-Humongous]

By the way, this looks an awful lot like a locking nut device. Please post pics of the bridge, as I believe it might be of the locking, Floyd Rose type. Then you wouldn't help yourself by removing the required locking nut. You'd be better off reverting to original and parting with the guitar if you don't like the arrangement.

It's actually a Fender 'System One' bridge which was standard in '86 (the year that this guitar was made). Regardless, I have the bridge decked and I am playing it as a hardtail, so I don't need the locking nut setup. I was just using it as a string tree in the absence of the guitar otherwise having one. It works for that purpose, but the guitar plays a little easier without it, which led to my original post.

 

[Lord-Humongous]

Definitely without big string tree.
Try this first - when you change your high E string, try to put much more windings on the tuning post. You have only couple. try to put much more let say 7-10. That will lower the string on the post at least 1mm increasing the angle against the nut, hopefully enough that you can't take it out of the slot that easily

It is a pain when stringing but hopefully it might help without the tree?

This is what I'll try first. I usually only wrap the string a couple times at most (as you can see in the pic). A few extra winds on E (and B) might just do the trick.

 

[Smylight]

It's actually a Fender 'System One' bridge which was standard in '86 (the year that this guitar was made). Regardless, I have the bridge decked and I am playing it as a hardtail, so I don't need the locking nut setup. I was just using it as a string tree in the absence of the guitar otherwise having one. It works for that purpose, but the guitar plays a little easier without it, which led to my original post.

OK! I get it. You should definitely get some string trees, anyway.

 

[Guest]

If you use lots of wraps to bring the strings down on the post when you use the trem the tuning can be an issue from the winds slacking off slightly when bending causing a change of tension on the string. There are locking tuners that are shortened for strats to keep the string low on the tuner post.

 

[sambonee]

On the EJ Strat my buddy puts a metal washer wrapped around the high e and b strings (strings them through the washer). Works like wonders. Even small black plastic / rubber washer would work. I bet even better. Closer to the nut. Just a thought.

 

[Smylight]

On the EJ Strat my buddy puts a metal washer wrapped around the high e and b strings (strings them through the washer). Works like wonders. Even small black plastic / rubber washer would work. I bet even better. Closer to the nut. Just a thought.

Don't some EJ Strat come with staggered tuners?

 

[Smylight]

Don't some EJ Strat come with staggered tuners?

Just checked with Fender : current-issue EJ does sport staggered tuners. I have a first-gen Beck with staggered Spertzels that are working great with the rolling nut. ALL others Strats that have passed in my hands over the last 45 years benefited greatly from the string trees, tone-wise, and string-popping-wise. ;-)

 

[Guest]

On the EJ Strat my buddy puts a metal washer wrapped around the high e and b strings (strings them through the washer). Works like wonders. Even small black plastic / rubber washer would work. I bet even better. Closer to the nut. Just a thought.

WAT?

 

[Lord-Humongous]

If you use lots of wraps to bring the strings down on the post when you use the trem the tuning can be an issue from the winds slacking off slightly when bending causing a change of tension on the string. There are locking tuners that are shortened for strats to keep the string low on the tuner post.

Just to clarify. I am not using the term and the bridge is decked.



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[sambonee]

String trees are useful. I find that people tend to deck them without regard for the adverse consequences. I like them just pulling downward slightly and that's all. I find timing is more stable that way.

 

[BGood]

On the EJ Strat my buddy puts a metal washer wrapped around the high e and b strings (strings them through the washer). Works like wonders. Even small black plastic / rubber washer would work. I bet even better. Closer to the nut. Just a thought.

Can you illustrate that ?

But Humongous, I do think you need the trees to alleviate your problem. Maybe just one for the small strings.

 

[Rollin Hand]

I like the G&L string trees better than Fenders

they're raised up, and I think they might also be nylon. they don't seem to bind as much as my strat tree

That almost looks like a Graphtech-style material.

 

[Jamdog]

What about the roller-equipped aftermarket string trees?

 

[Jimmy_D]

Your e string is pulling out because it's nut slot has almost no sides around that string, the slot depth is probably correct but the top of the nut is too low

Also, the movement of the part of the string under the tree, when bending, almost cannot be measured as it's movement is less that negligible. After servicing 100's of string tree guitars I've never seen a tree cause a binding issue.

If it doesn't buzz when playing you can get away without a tree, which isn't going to stop the e string from popping out anyway.

 

[Smylight]

Your e string is pulling out because it's nut slot has almost no sides around that string, the slot depth is probably correct but the top of the nut is too low.

Thanks for having sharp eyes! You prompted me to take a second look at this nut and you are obviously very right about this nut being finished too low on the treble side.

I remain in favor of string trees, at least on the 1st and 2nd.